With so little experience on the roster, tweaks and adjustments always seemed likely, if not inevitable.
Platte County debuted two more players this week and used eight total in the final two of three duals this past week. The new doubles combination of senior Brooklynn Mahowski and sophomore Macy Doll recorded their first career victory in Thursday’s 7-2 win over Belton in Suburban Conference White Division action at Platte County High School.
In the process, Platte County (3-7) stopped a four-dual losing streak. The Pirates have been navigating a difficult schedule while also bringing back only seniors Maggie McBratney and Lily Fish from the last year’s Class 2 District 8 championship squad.
“It was great to get our first dual win and start conference play on a positive note,” Platte County coach Zach Keith said. “Hopefully, by the end of the season, we will be able to look back on those few weeks and see how many ways we improved from top to bottom.”
Platte County opened the matchup with Belton by taking a sweep of three doubles matches.
McBratney and sophomore Ellie Kaser continued a successful partnership at No. 1 with an 8-0 shutout, while Fish and freshman Macie Keith were 8-1 winners at No. 2. Playing just a second match together at the varsity level, Mahowski and Doll started strong and then held on for the 8-5 win at No. 3.
Platte County experienced some similar tight matchups in singles, while continuing to use the same six players in that part of the lineup.
McBratney (8-0 at No. 1) and Kaser (8-1 at No. 2) helped lock up the team victory in short order, while senior Jackie Frame remained at the No. 6 spot and scored an 8-5 victory. Platte County’s final singles victory came from Fish at the No. 3 spot in 9-8 (10-8) tiebreaker.
Macie Keith dropped her No. 5 match, while sophomore Lillian Goodale lost 8-5 at No. 4. Goodale and Frame have played singles all year but have given way to Doll and Mahowski in doubles.
Platte County’s top three appear set with McBratney returning to the No. 1 spot where she played as a sophomore before being at No. 2 as a junior. Fish moved up a spot, as well, while Kaser ascended from junior varsity to the No. 2 spot and has put up an 11-1 record so far this season.
Goodale and Frame also earned spots in the top six, but Platte County’s graduated seniors from last year left plenty of voids and few upperclassmen. That’s led a deep pool of potential replacements and a short season to figure out the optimal lineup
Park Hill 7, Platte County 2
The Pirates’ losing skid hit four Tuesday in Kansas City with McBratney (No. 1) and Kaser (No. 2) recording the only two wins in singles.
However, Platte County played close at No. 1 doubles (9-7 loss for McBratney and Kaser) and No. 2 doubles (8-6 loss for Fish and Macie Keith). The Pirates also debuted Doll and Mahowski in an 8-3 loss. Macie Keith lost 8-5 at No. 5 in the closest singles loss.
Staley 9, Park Hill 0
The Falcons were dominant in Monday night’s dual at Platte County High School.
Platte County took just one game in three doubles matches with McBratney and Kaser losing 8-1 at No. 1. Staley yielded only nine games in six singles matches with McBratney winning three of those in an 8-3 loss at No. 1. Kaser also lost in singles for the first time this season.